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Frequently asked questions in Karl Fischer titration – Part 1

Jul 20, 2020

Article

This article is Part 1 of a series.

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Part 2

Since I started working at Metrohm more than 15 years ago, I have received many questions about Karl Fischer titration. Some of those questions have been asked repeatedly from several people in different locations around the world. Therefore, I have chosen 20 of the most frequent questions received over the years concerning Karl Fischer equipment and arranged them into three categories: instrument preparation and handling, titration troubleshooting, and the oven technique. Part 1 discusses instrument preparation and handling, and Part 2 covers the other two topics.

Summary of questions in the FAQ (click to go directly to each question):

  1. How can I check if the electrode is working correctly?
  2. How long can an electrode be stored in KF reagent?
  3. Can the molecular sieve be dried and reused, or should it be replaced?
  4. How long does conditioning normally take?
  5. When conditioning, many bubbles form in the coulometric titration cell with a very high drift, also when using fresh reagent. What could be the reason for this effect?
  6. What is the best frequency to clean the Karl Fischer equipment?
  7. How do I clean the Karl Fischer equipment?
  8. Is it also possible to use a cleaning agent like «CIF» or toothpaste to clean the double Pt electrode?
  9. How do I clean a generator electrode with a diaphragm?

Instrument preparation and handling